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Living Courageously

You, me, all of us – we all have courage within. This trait can be simply defined as the ability to overcome adversity. But do you make the most of your courage?

Read on to discover how you can use this gift to lead a happier, more fulfilled life.

See Things as They Really Are

Those who are courageous are not afraid to face their demons. They’re seldom in a state of denial. They know their good side and their dark side, since each of us has both.

Are you willing to acknowledge your faults? Or do you make excuses for your behavior and blame others or circumstances?

To help see yourself clearly, try sitting quietly in a place you won’t be disturbed and write in your journal. Do this every day, or at least once a week.

Write about your feelings during the day and what triggered them. How did you react? Where did these reactions come from – from your compassionate, loving side or from your dark side?

Even though it takes courage to examine your innermost thoughts, once you know and accept all your qualities, you can strive to enhance your strengths and lessen those qualities you find less desirable.

Follow Your Ideals

Living courageously involves sticking to your values and ideals. Here are a few instances of courage:

* Be honest even when it means losing something.
* Let go of those you love so they can develop courage and self-reliance.
* Choose your career based on how much you’ll enjoy it and not how much money you’ll make.
* Do what you believe to be right regardless of what others think.

Practice your courage in your daily life by demonstrating your values in both big and small things. When you make a mistake, own up to it and do what you can to make amends. Not only will you get used to showing your courage, but others will also grow in respect for you.

Try, Try Again

All of us have faced failure. The important thing is how we deal with it.

Can you get up and continue on the journey? Doing so takes courage, but once you’ve risen up after a fall, the next time you’ll find that it’s easier to get back up. Each time, you feel a little braver than the last time. You learn from both your errors and from the action of continuing on in spite of them.

Aim high and commit yourself to your goals. Then, no matter how often you fall, your courage will lift you up, help you find a way to overcome your challenge, and enable you to continue on until you find success and accomplish your goals!

Experience Something New

Avoid letting your age or circumstances stop you from experiencing life to the fullest and trying new things. Whatever your dreams may be, go for them – whether that means sampling a new dish in another country or learning a skill like swimming or baking.

Each time you try something new, no matter how small, you step outside your comfort zone and build your courage.

It could be a major change in lifestyle, whether voluntary or compulsory. For instance, you might want to try becoming vegetarian. Or circumstances may require you to move to another city or neighborhood. Whatever the change, you can deal with it if you are courageous.

Just dig deep within and you’ll find that you already possess courage. It’s just a matter of loving yourself and loving life with all its mishaps. Couple those with the tips above, and you’ll be able to tap your inner resources in a way you’ve never known before.